Rep. Sykes Announces More Than $442,000 To Improve Patient Care in Akron
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a $442,612 grant to Akron Children’s Hospital to fund research to improve home-based pediatric hospice and palliative care.
“The unique needs of young patients have too often been overlooked in healthcare settings,” said Rep. Sykes. “This investment will strengthen pediatric training to ensure all children in Ohio’s 13th District receive the highest quality care.”
“We are very grateful to receive this funding that will allow Akron Children’s Hospital, in collaboration with four other children’s hospitals, to define the hallmarks of high-quality home-based hospice and palliative care,” said principal investigator Dr. Daniel Grossoehme. “As we develop our care practices, we believe it’s more important than ever to listen to the children, teens, and young adults at the center of the care. Their voices have not always been heard and they have perspectives and words to describe important aspects of their care that may be different from their parents and providers.”
This grant is funded through the National Institute of Nursing Research. Current research in pediatric hospice and palliative care focuses on inpatient hospice and palliative care settings and is still largely driven by adult-based data and paradigms, insufficiently addressing clinically significant needs of children and adolescents. Akron Children’s Hospital research will be the first to study home-based hospice and palliative quality care systems integrating all stakeholder input – patient, family, and clinician.